Typewriting machine



Dec. 25, 1923. 1,478,702

J. c. DOANE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1921 I v4 374 85 22 6 %/Zi;/;

V Ar'zar ey Patented Dec. 25, 1923..

r'rss aonn o. noann, or rrAnrroia-n, connnorronrr, iissicnoaro UNDERWOODrYrE- wnrrnn ooraraivnor new roan, 1v. r, a CtJBPORATIONOF DELAWARE-"'rrrnwnrsrus MACHINE.

Application filed November 25, 1821. Serial No. 517,453.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN, C. Deans, a citizen of the United States,residingin Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TypewritingMachines, of which the following is a specification,

This invention relates to center guides for the type-bars in writingmachines, and is illustrated in connection, with an Underwood machine,in which thin sheet-metal type-bars are provided with tongues to enterthe slot in the guide as they approach the platen.

In said Underwood machine, the guide is fixed to a segment which carriesthe typebars, and extends upwardly from the segment and carries at itsupper end a pair of flaring guide-nibs or jaws.

It is important to form these jaws of such contour as to eliminatecorners against which the type-bars could strike. The guide is made ofhigh grade steel and is of heavy construction, and its guiding surfacesmust be machined into form. The machining presents serious practicaldifficulties, owing to the narrowness of the space between theguidingisurfaces, such spaces being only wide enough to admit a thintongue of the type-bar, andhence afiording too little room for the playof the necessary tools.

One of the features of the present invention resides in making saidguide-surfaces of an improved contour, whereby the rear part of theguide is given parallel walls or guide-surfaces, which merge forwardlyinto diverging or flaring gently curved guidesurfaces, thus avoiding anycorners between the straight and flaring portions of the guide. Thesegradually curving surfaces terminate at their outer ends in more flaringportions, thus completing the contour.

The present invention includes further improvements relating toconstructing the guide in such a manner as to render feasible thedesired machining of the guide-surfaces during manufacture. To this end,the guide is formed ofitwo. entirelyseparate right'and left handsections, each section carrying one of the guiCle-nibs or. jaws. Thispermits eachjaw to be given exactly the desired contour and finish.

These. sections are placed side by side upon the segment, therebybringing the jaws into co-operative type-guiding relation, andpreferably each section is rigidly secured in position uponthe segmentindependently of the other section. f A j In order to provide fordelicate adjust} ment of each jaw towards or awayfromthe other, thebase-portion of each section is provided with an adjustingdevice wherebythejawbelonging thereto can be set a trifle to the left or to the rightas required. This adjustment'is effected by means of two coneheadedscrews fitting in holes in each ofthe two section-bases. Each base isslotted, the slots being open and extending through the screw-holes andapproaching each other close enough to permit slight bending orspringing of the overhead portionof the section. The lower portion ofeach sectionbase is pinned to the segment, and theupper portion of thebase is perforated for a fasten ing screw which is threaded into the segment. Hence, in each section-base, one conescrew may be loosened and theother may be turned in, thereby opening its slot'a trifle and closingthe other slot correspondingly, while the jaw at the upper end of theguidesection is swung a trifle to the left or right, as the case may be.j j

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevationof themvention in one form, as applied tothe type- 7 bar segment of an Underwood machine. Figure 2 is a plan ofthe improved guide. FigureB is a sectional side elevation of parts seenin Figure 1. j

Figure 1- is a perspective view of one. of

the sections, and of one of the cone-headed screws and the keyed nutwith which it cooperates. Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view,showing diagrammatically the cone-headed screws and nuts, and the.manner inwhich they co-operate with a guide-section.

The type-bars 10 are operated by levers l1, and swing about afulcrum-wire 19,- to strike against a platen .13. The fulcrumwire is.mounted in a segment 14, radially slottedat 15 forthe type-bars, andcarrying a type-bar guide which comprises opposing jaws or members 16.These jaws, .at their rear ends,are so formed as to constitute astraight or parallel-sided directrix for the type-bars at 17, when thesame is inor close to printing position. These straight parallelsides'merge into forward slightly convex. portions 18, therebyeliminating corners. The portions 18 flare outwardly, and terminate instill more flaring portions 19 at the tips of the jaws. Owing to theabsence of corners, the type-bar is guided smoothly and accurately tothe platen, lateral vibration of the type is reduced, and wear isavoided.

In order to produce the guiding walls cheaply and successfully,notwithstanding the close proximity of the jaws, the typeguide is madein two sections, being for this purpose split from top to bottom at itsmiddle line 20. This permits each section to be manufactured separately,so that the exact contour desired may be produced upon each jaw rapidlyand economically. The right section is marked 21 and the left section22, and from each section arises a post 23', surmounted by a guide-jaw16. Each section is integral with its post and aw. 1 Each section isaccurately positioned on the front vertical face of the segment by apair of pins 24 extending through the lowermost portion of the section.Above the pins the section is transversely slotted at 25, the slotsbeing open and extending from the side edges nearly to a meeting point.The portion 26 of the'section remaining between the inner ends of theslots 25 is so narrow as to permit a slight springin of the upperportion of the section to be e ected, for the purpose of adjusting thejaw 16 thereon to the right or left.

This. adjustment may be effected by means of cone-headed screws 27inserted through tapering-holes 28 in the section 21, these holes beingcoincident with the slots 25.

' Each screw is threaded into a nut 29, and

these nuts may occupy oversize perforations 30 in the segment 14,Figures 3 and 5. Each nut may be provided with a key 31, Figures land 5,and these keys may enter the slots 25, thus preventing the nut fromturning.

After the type-guide sections are in place on the'segment, either theleft-hand or the right-hand spreading screw 27. of either section may beloosened, and the other one tightened to open its associated slot 25,and thereby swing the post 23 and its jaw 16 to the right or left asdesired. Thereupon the section may be firmly secured to the segment andthe adjustment preserved by means of a screw 32, of which each sectionhas one, said screw passing through an oversize perforation 33 in thesection and clamp ing the same to the segment. Each screw 32 is locatedbetween the jaw and the adjusting screws 27, so as to clamp the upperportions and merging into 'curvedfiaring guidesurfaces, and a pair ofseparate jawcarrying sections, each arranged to be placed in the machineseparately from and independently of the other, and each comprisingmeans for fitting it to the type-segment against rotary or bodilymovement, means for bending it when so fitted toward right or left toadjust the jaw carried by it independently of the other jaw andrelatively to the machine, and means for securing the bent section tothe segment in adjusted position. 7

2. In a typewriting machine, a type-segment, and a type-guide consistingof a pair of guide-jaws, and separable jaw-carrying sections, eachcomprising members at its lower end for fitting it to the type-segmentagainst rotary or bodily movement, means for bending the section abovethe fitting members to finely adjust the position of the jaw carried bythe section, and means above the bending means for securing the sectionfirmly to the segment, and fixing the position of the jaw.

'3. In a typewriting machine, a type-segment, and a type-guidecomprising a pair of sections, and guidejaws carried by the sections attheir upper ends, each section including means at its lower end forlocating it in mechanically-predetermined position relatively to thetype-segment, means for bending a portion of the section to adjust theposition of the jaw carried by it, and

means for securing the'section to the segment above the bending meansafter the desired adjustment has been attained, to assist in fixing theposition of the guide-jaw.

4. In a 'typewriting machine, a set of types, a type-segment, and a typeguide comprising a pair of sections, and complemen tary guide-jawscarried by the sections at their upper ends, each section comprisingmeans for fitting it upon the segment, means for bending it toward rightor left independently of'the other section to finely adjust and therebyto correctly locate the jaw carried by it with reference to the paths ofthe types, said bending means being effective to retain the section inadjusted. posi- 1 tion, so that the accuracy of the adjustment may betested and further adjustment may be made without securing the sectionto the segment in each adjusted position, and

means for firmly securing the section against further adjustment andagainst vibration when the jaw has been correctly located, to fix itsjaw in final adjusted position. i

5. In a typewriting machine, a type-segment, and a type-guide comprisinga pair of guide-jaws parallel at their rear when in place on themachine, and a pair of jawcarrying sections separately insertable in themachine, and each comprising means for fitting it to the type-segment,and means for bending it toward right or left independ ently of theother section to adjust the position of the jaw carried by it, andadjustable to resist further bending of the section in the samedirection when the desired adjusted position of the jaw has beenattained, to prevent vibration of the section when in use.

6. A. type-guide comprising a pair of guiding jaws and divided into twosections, each section carrying one of said jaws, each section havingtransverse slots on its opposite sides to permit springing or swaying ofthe section, and means for adjusting said section.

7. A type-guide comprising a pair of guiding jaws and divided into twosections, each section carrying one of said jaws, each section havingtransverse slots on its opposite sides to permit springing or swaying ofthe section, and cone-headed screws working in said slots for springingor adjusting the section.

8. A type-guide comprising a pair of guiding jaws and divided into twosections, each section carrying one of said jaws, each section havingtransverse slots on its opposite sides to permit springing or swaying ofthe carried by the segment, said screws being threaded into said nuts,and means being provided for keying the nuts against rotation. i r y 9.In a typewriting machine, a set of types, a type-segment, and atypeguide for guiding the types to the printing point, comprising a pairof complementary guidejaws and a pair of jaw-carrying sections, eachsection including means for fitting it to the type-segment againstrotary or bodily movement, means movable substantial distances forbending it through relatively minute distances, when so fitted, towardright or left independently of the other section to finely adjust thejaw carried by it independently of the other jaw and relatively to themachine, and means for securing each bent section to the segmentindependently or' the other, tofiX it permanently against furthermovement when it has been located in its correct adjusted position, theconstruction and arrangement being such that either section may beadjusted and may then be held stationary throughout the adjustment ofthe other section.

JOHN G. DOANE.

